_East-Southeast - GDHQNBA15_2pg-Atlanta Hawks

Indiana Pacers Gameday HQ

EASTERN CONFERENCE
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
Atlanta
Quick, name the Eastern Conference team with the longest streak of
playoff appearances. Yes, it’s the Atlanta Hawks, who, since ending their
nine-year drought in 2007-08 have made a postseason appearance in
each of the last seven seasons.
Last year, the first under Coach Mike Budenholzer, they nearly upset
top-seed Indiana, pushing the Pacers to seven games. And that was
without injured center Al Horford. Horford, a two-time All-Star is back
healthy, as is All-Star power forward Paul Millsap and hot-shooting
veteran two-guard Kyle Korver—both of whom worked out with USA
Basketball over the summer—and underrated point Jeff Teague.
While offseason turmoil surrounded the team, primarily the front
office, and specifically minority owner Bruce Levinson, who was
forced to sell his stake, and general manager Danny Ferry, who was
suspended, Budenholzer, acting GM, and his Hawks are keeping focused
on extending their playoff streak to eight while eyeing a Southeast title.
Defense
When it came to defense, Hawks could have been short for “Ball
Hawks.” Atlanta was a tenacious group that liked to pressure the ball,
resulting in their making 8.3 per game (ninth in the League with 8.3
steals per game, fifth in the East and good for second in the Southeast
behind only Miami.
Atlanta, which had 27 games with double-figure steals, expects
to be even better in 2014-15, as one of its
main offseason acquisitions was defensive
specialist Thabo Sefolosha. One of the OKC’s
top defensive players, the small forward will
back up ferocious defender DeMarre Carroll
(1.48 spg, 24th in the League) and add defensive
depth to a Hawks team that had four players
average better than a steal per game in Millsap
(1.74, 9th), Carroll, Jeff Teague (1.13) and Kyle
Korver (.99). Their ability to create turnovers
led to 17.2 ppg off opposing miscues, eighth
in the League.
Keeping opponents from getting shots off
helped a team that wasn’t overly effective
in keeping them off the boards. Atlanta
finished 28th in rebounding (40.7 rpg), and
18th in defensive rebounding (31.3 drpg). The
rebounding numbers reflect the loss of Horford,
who was pulling in 8.4 rebounds per game prior
to his injury, and missed games by bigs Gustavo
Ayon and Pero Antic. Millsap was a force in
the paint, pulling down 8.5 rebounds, but after
him, no other Hawk grabbed as many as six,
with Carroll next at 5.5. Ageless wonder Elton
Brand gave Atlatna valuable minutes and pulled
down almost five boards a game. Second-year
pro Mike Muscala also will be counted on to
hit the boards.
Rebounding was big, as Atlanta was 18-10
when it was equal or better to the opponent
on the boards. They were 20-34 when outrebounded.
Getting outrebounded two-thirds
of the time is unacceptable for Budenholzer,
and something he shouldn’t see in 2014-15.
Horford’s return, obviously, makes Atlanta
tougher on the glass, while first-round pick Adreian Payne, although
drafted mostly for his offense, also is committed to the defensive end
(you don’t play four years for Tom Izzo if you aren’t). At 6-10, 240,
Payne also is a very good shotblocker, who left Michigan State as the
Spartans’ all-time leader with 141 swats. He also was one of only nine
players in MSU history to score 1,200 points, and 700 rebounds.
Better pressure on the ball will be key, as Atlanta’s opponents shot
49.7 percent and at least 50 percent 23 times, in 2013-14, winning 21
of those games.
Offense
One word never used to describe the 2013-14 Atlanta Hawks was
selfish. Atlanta led the League with assists on 66.7 percent of their
baskets and ranked second in the NBA, tops in the Eastern Conference
Paul Millsap
Issac Baldizon/NBAE/Getty Images